THE CJTS PLANTATION IN DEATH THROES, DISINGENUOUS LETTER FROM TEACHERS,LAYOFFS

The Connecticut Juvenile Training School is in the midst of death throes due to a variety of forces. Last year CT lawmakers toured the facility after reports from a so called right wing whistle blower claimed residents mistreatment by Youth Service Officers [ YSOs ]. With inordinate amounts of publicity focused on "a so called culture of abuse by YSOs" by media et al. [ and others ] the clarion call went out from politicians to close  'the snake pit' known as CJTS. However the KeyStone Cops management at CJTS went so far as to blame the troubles at that facility on YSOs and chose a blackman named Dupree as the face of unlawful restraints. Dupree at that time worked as a YSO and got singled out for being overly aggressive ; let me also add Dupree is over 200 plus pounds of muscle and young, ergo he fit the description of the hulking or marauding blackman. I digress from the point of this story. Now CJTS is facing dwindling numbers of residents [ down to 35 ] at this juncture and reduced staff by virtue of layoffs. It is safe to conclude that this facility is in the midst of death throes and might be fazed out of existence in toto by 2018.

While looking in local newspapers my eye came across this story about teachers at CJTS. It seems as if teachers got together and wrote several letters describing how the staff reductions and other draconian measures affected the ability of residents to gain an education. Please forgive my words, "but this is complete hogwash coming from the teachers." All of a sudden these people are coming forth to declare how terrible it is CJTS is depriving residents of their learning. If these same educators were to speak truth, then they might point out how management dysfunctional actions in running that facility did more to affect these residents than anything else. In addition to mismanagement, teachers never spoke-up about clear examples of bias or racism directed toward employees of color. Hell, how many black teachers were employed by CJTS over the years?? Never heard these teachers wax eloquent about the paucity of educators of color in their school. While the DCF Plantation Five launched a class action / racial discrimination lawsuit against CJTS, these same TEACHERS SAID NARY A DAMN WORD. Now since teachers jobs are being phased out, these educators want to write letters and make them public. Hey teachers please take those missives and shove them where the sun don't shine.

Several emails to dcfplantation.com commented on the 70 layoffs at the CJTS plantation recently. We have discovered that all the Unit Leaders were laid off, plus five Directors of Residential Care. Naturally the largest layoffs are YSOs. Now it is reported that the lack of YSO per shift is creating safety issues while dealing with those remaining 35-40 residents. Most Units are staffed by females with only one male per shift. It has been be reported before this is an all male facility, and the lack of adequate male staff during working hours poses problems... at least for staff. There is a picture of CJTS staff standing across the street from their facility while this State Representative reads some document having to do with layoffs. Let me say those staff members and YSOs looked real sad. Well it is time to face reality. YSOs got played for suckers by CJTS management and state officials.

SIXTY FIVE LAYOFFS , NO PLAN FOR UNIT COSOLIDATION, " I'M ALL SHOOK UP"

The Connecticut Juvenile Training School is winding down as an institution and will close soon. At this juncture outside forces have determined CJTS is an albatross hanging around the neck of Connecticut. Now the Governor of Connecticut Danel Malloy has decided to layoff 65 people as part of  balancing of the state budget. After years of running CJTS into the ground administratively and blaming it on the Youth Service Officers, now layoffs come first to CJTS. To be sure, the budget cuts are coming and will touch all segments of CT services. However it is interesting to note ordinary YSOs receive the economic axe first.

KeyStone Cops administrators at CJTS are busy closing Units where residents are housed. After closing Units, administrators seem to be just tossing workers pell-mell together. It is reported since the closing of Units many YSOs are not working cohesively with each other. Yet another example of buffoonery from the KeyStone Cops administrators concerning this tossing workers together with no thought behind it.

Since the clarion call went out to close CJTS workers seemed stunned. There is much wailing and thrashing around about layoffs and loss of income for ordinary employees. Yet it is safe to say that if courageous YSOs would have spoken up about all the injustice around racism, overtime abuse and administrative dysfunctional acts..... things might be different.

SUPERVISOR THAT ABUSES WORKER COMPENSATION IS BACK ON THE JOB

This writer has posted stories about the Connecticut Juvenile Training School Supervisor that abuses Worker Compensation. The Supervisor known for baking cookies [ during work time ] has consistently over a five year period missed months at a time claiming injury. The female in question is allowed to abuse the system and get away with something that CJTS administrators will not tolerate from Youth Service Officers. Why is there a difference in how Unit Supervisors are handled and YSOs are treated ?

It is a shame before God how KeyStone Cops administrators allow this one particular Unit Supervisor to abuse Worker Compensation.

Well, I heard during the most recent so called injury, this Unit Supervisor had fun-at Fox Woods Casino. She cannot work, but she can gamble !!

WHERE IS THE CRI DE COEUR OVER THIS INCIDENT ?

The term Cri de Coeur is defined as "an impassioned outcry, as of entreaty or protest." On March 19,2016 an email to DCF Plantation from Little Mother Jones brought to light an incident that is known, but not spoken about. Little Mother Jones reports that a certain DCF Plantation official has a "known sex offender living with them." Now to make matters even worse [ according to Little Mother Jones ] the DCF Plantation official "knows the person is a non compliant sex offender" yet chooses to still have them around children in the home. This same official has been involved in dubious activities  on the DCF plantation and off grounds with other employees after hours. Yet officials that administer the Department of Children and Families ignored the inappropriate behaviors of this person that is employed by them. Where is the Cri de Coeur over yet another incident concerning this well placed administrator that gets to ignore rules, not only on the plantation, and gets protection. It might be that the official mentioned as harboring a known sex offender is white, and ergo part of the apartheid regime.

You can rest assured that no preferential treatment was given to other ordinary employees who raised issues of racial discrimination or egalitarian rights for people of color. When Youth Service Officers engaged in suspect behaviors at Connecticut Juvenile Training School [ on property or when not at work ], the full policy weight of that facility fell on YSOs in order to discipline them. In the near future the incident mentioned above will come to light and once again embarrass DCF Plantation hierarchy.

SOME UNIONS HAVE FORGOTTEN THEIR BEGINNINGS AND NOW SEEK ACCOMMODATION WITH MORIBUND POLITICIANS

The activist talked about reaching out to Unions in different parts of Connecticut about social praxis around issues of egalitarian rights. After all if one reads the History of The Labor Movement by Philip S.Foner, then it is clear Unions were started and nurtured on protest. In one of Foner's three volume sets "From Colonial Times to the Founding of The American Federation of Labor" it is clear Unions and the people who believe in them also embrace praxis. However the activist who contacted this blog writer encountered another type of Union person, those that seek to avoid confrontation with oppressors. The activist said that recent attempts to organize labor forces into action this coming April met with push back. It seems as if other Unions outside of Hartford- led by organizers who either do not know labor history or don't care about it- are not willing to engage in street protests as part of a comprehensive strategy to attack oppression. At several meetings youthful labor organizers equated street protest with "hollering and screaming." Yes it is true that when the subject of peaceful demonstrations were broached the Union folks said "we do not want to be disorganized by hollering and screaming. We would rather talk to lawmakers. " Now it is clear that these neo-Union organizers not only have lost the dream and vision of Unions, but equate the mainstay of labor protest as "disorganized hollering and screaming."

Over the last few decades comments such as the people in Unions outside of Hartford made are part and parcel of a malaise known as accommodation with the oppressor. Just walking into buildings and talking to lawmakers is only one part of strategy. Talking is another form of praxis, both verbal discussion and direct action are necessary to impinge on the oppressor they must address needs of the unwashed masses. What the activist told this writer is how current Union leadership outside of Hartford is scared of street protests and getting arrested; lumping both with mindless activity on the part of the uneducated. The demise of once powerful labor Unions have happened due to tepid responses to oppression; powerful forces cut budgets and resources to the poor and needy but Union officials want to enter into endless disputations, verbal masturbation, with short term relief. Is it any wonder why the powerful no longer fear Labor Unions? I would not fear weak in the knee, vacillating people from these labor forces either, all they are going to do is sit down for "fruitful discussions" with oppressors who do not care about what is being said. Hell, they know you are scared and you prove it by wanting to avoid direct action.

In conclusion some of the great labor leaders of the past must be turning over in their graves about these tepid and spineless Union people outside of Hartford, and their refusal to hit the streets.

SILENCE OF WHITE PROFESSIONALS ON THE PLANTATION SEALED THE WORKER'S FATE

The Youth Service Officers at Connecticut Juvenile Training School have been betrayed by two groups. When the workers were trying to fight racial injustice on the plantation at CJTS the management -which is basically  all white - came out to thwart the aspirations of the unwashed masses. Key Stone Cops management singled out suspected agitators, used right wing YSOs to intimidate workers, and disciplined those fighting against injustice. From a historical point of view it is understood that those in power will do whatever is necessary to maintain their position. In the words of Shakespeare.... Macbeth reads "to be a king is nothing, unless one's position is safe." Well white management certainly tried to make sure no one threatened that lofty perch they sat on.

However the second betrayal at CJTS came at the hands of white professionals like clinical social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, and teachers. The majority of these white professionals are women and watched in silence as the scene of rampant racism, nepotism, giving overtime to favored staff took place. In the mean time back at the ranch, these silent white professionals went about their task "of trying to get the minds right" with incarcerated residents. Now the CJTS plantation is about to lay off YSOs who are mostly people of color, because outside forces want to shut down the facility. While YSOs wait for their pink slips the white professionals have started to slither off to other places of employment, they see the reduction in residents from 150 to 40, and started deserting CJTS like rats off a sinking ship. The facility might not have been run into the ground by management, nor racial injustices taken place, if those white professionals spoke the truth to power. But the white folks collected pay checks, talked to the natives [ incarcerated residents ] in their natural habitat, and did not utter one damn word about what went on in terms of racial injustices. White professionals were drinking from the cup of white privilege.

Let me be as clear as I can be. The CJTS plantation is closing down because excesses occurred that diminished human beings who worked there; a culture of abuse took place for so long until even those that supported the white supremacy at CJTS could no longer ignore the facts. White management did everything possible to hide what was going on, and this includes putting blame for issues at the facility on YSOs like Dupree, former employee Cornell Lewis, current YSO Kevin Strachen, current supervisor Linette Gaunichaux. By the way all of those just mentioned are people of color, ergo, white management just followed in the old American tradition of "blame it on black folk.

In conclusion we must correctly state how the silence of white professionals contributed to years of dysfunctional activity on the CJTS plantation and abuse of workers of color. Desmond TuTu wrote  "to be neutral in a situation of injustice is to have chosen sides already. It is to support the status quo."

THEY SAID NO CHANGES FOR TWO YEARS THEN LIED; VISITING ROOM UNSAFE

The howls and anguish coming from Youth Service Officers at Connecticut Juvenile Training School can be heard throughout the state. When the Childs Advocate office released a scathing report about CJTS abuse of resident restraints, incompetence of management in running the facility, abuse of overtime it was like some sort of revelation from heaven. Suddenly people started investigations, lawmakers visited CJTS, used information from a right wing whistle blower and then proclaimed AMEN ! After all the employees got over their untold agonies from the sudden media attention management stepped in to calm the unwashed masses. It was widely reported how DCF Plantation management assured anxious employees "no significant changes at CJTS would come for two years." Now it has been reported the management lied to employees and are now preparing to layoff YSOs in a few weeks. This is just the latest example of bait and switch management foisted upon the unwashed masses [ employees ] under mordant leaders. YSOs are literally befuddled by being laid off ; why are employees mystified about the double speak? For years YSOs accepted the verbal swill doled out by management to employees, now it is clear that plantation leaders did not give a flying shit about them.

After this blog revealed how there are no longer staff present in CJTS visiting rooms, and monitoring is done from within a sealed off control booth- emails started coming in to DCF Plantation blog. The main complaint is this " there are residents and gang members that go to that visiting room. These groups often have 'beefs' and fight. How can you put unsupervised factions in one small area and hope to prevent problems? If fights occur how can someone in a control booth come into the visiting room in time if riot situations occur. They [ management ] are placing employees in dangerous positions." 

Well, "as the world turns."

TOUGH TIMES AT THE PLANTATION ; VISITS; LAYOFFS; DECREASED POPULATION

The Connecticut Juvenile Training School has indeed fallen on tough times due to incompetence and mismanagement by supervisors.  At one point there were over 150 residents at CJTS, Youth Service Officers worked overtime and took home outrageous paychecks. Alas, those halcyon days are but a distant memory. These days the DCF Plantation is but a mere shadow of what it once appeared to be ; under leadership of an ostrich [ ducking head in the ground to ignore troubles ]  like superintendent and dysfunctional supervisors CJTS hit rock bottom. It has been reported that last Saturday CJTS allowed outsiders to come for visits of residents but failed to provided staff to sit and monitor the visiting area. In light of the fact people try sneaking in contraband [ remember how someone tried sneaking in a loaded 380. automatic gun? ] this seemed odd. There are sources indicating that KeyStone Cops management had people in an enclosed control booth watching visitors. However monitoring from a booth is far different than YSOs inside the visiting area, rumor has it the idea is to cut down on overtime by not having anyone monitoring inside the visiting room 11am-3pm.

The DCF Commissioner sent out an email last week about laying off employees at CJTS  due to a reduction in residents at that facility. Now that facility is only going to house 40 residents. I wonder if some of those over paid supervisors that do not work will be on the laid off list. For years management milked the State of Connecticut for large salaries while running CJTS into the ground. In all fairness the first heads to roll should be management layoffs.

The Units where residents live are usually staffed with enough people to handle situations and effectively monitor residents. Now it is reported KeyStone Cops management is running these Units with only TWO staff while having ONE staff  float between both Units. All of this is being done o save money on overtime.
 Ah, how the mighty hath fallen from their lofty perch. It must be noted how mismanagement for years at CJTS caused this current dilemma to manifest itself ; years of not addressing racial injustice among employees, allowing overtime to be doled out to management favorite employees, sexual peccadilloes between male managers and a certain $80,000 per year female supervisor, right wing persecution by the so called whistle blower about wrong doing at CJTS, not to mention YSOs not speaking up about troubles at the plantation -led to this current situation.  For sometime this blog reported on CJTS and how the joint was a cesspool of racial injustice, nepotism, overpaid and under educated supervisors, but very few people listened to our clarion voice shouting from the mountain top. Then the Child Advocate investigated allegations of improper resident restraints, also lawmakers visited the facility plus held hearings about it. Now after all of this activity people started asking tough questions about what the hell was and still is going on at the CJTS Plantation.

And as one reporter use to say "now you have the rest of the story."

THE HOUSE NEGROES WORKING ON THE PLANTATION / BLAKE AND TORRES ARE ASSAULTED

When February comes around people begin preparations for Black History Month celebrations. There are songs, poetry readings, guest speakers and events all over Connecticut. However within the Department of Children and Families there are Negroes who willing do the work of helping oppress employees of color. Take for example the Negro at Office of Labor relations who is trotted out whenever there are disciplinary or arbitration cases needing to be defended by DCF. This Negro sits on the side of the oppressor while trying to prove DCF is correct in handing out punishment against some employee of color. It is reported that this same Negro is always utilized for the benefit of an apartheid  hierarchy within DCF Hudson Street office.

Next it is reported DCF has several high placed Negroes at the Hudson Street headquarters who sell out their people. Sources report a black female with a firm grasp on the English language is trotted out during legal proceeding. She sits with designed eyeglasses on and speaks to the employee of color under investigation for some charge while white management looks on and takes copious notes. She is paid handsomely for her betrayal. Then there is the story of a black male elevated to management status at Hudson street who acts like a parrot for the commissioner. When they are out in public and the commissioner is asked questions about racial matters within DCF, the elevated Negro comes to the commissioner's defense. Community leaders are complaining how this male elevated Negro once walked among black people in Hartford and was respected by them, now he seems to have drank the Kool-Aid of being part of the white gate masters machine, and speaks like a parrot for the commissioner of DCF.

Blake and Torres are two Youth Service Officers that work at the Connecticut Juvenile Training School plantation. It is reported that both of these men were and are still injured due to an attack by an incarcerated resident. This same resident has continually assaulted employees while chanting " you folks cannot do anything to me." These words are being uttered by this resident because Key Stone Cops management at CJTS are now afraid to discipline residents and instruct employees to decrease restraints. CJTS management are dysfunctional in good times and now are scared since intense media attention about the facility. YSOs were blamed for using harsh restraints and management used YSOs as scapegoats.. throwing them under the bus. Since CT lawmakers tried to close CJTS there is a feeling of impending doom hovering over the facility like storm clouds. And since management is now treading on egg shells, the YSOs have been instructed not to discipline residents or restrain them when it is needed. Ergo, Blake and Torres go to answer an assistance call on Unit 6D and cannot effectively use restraint tactics on the out of control resident. This means half hearted measures were implemented and Blake / Torres are now injured.

SUPERVISOR CHOKES RESIDENT / TWO EMPLOYEES ASSAULTED ON UNIT 5C

The words sang by Fats Waller years ago ring true at Connecticut Juvenile Training School "the joint is jumping." It has been reported to DCF Plantation blog that several weeks ago an incident involving a restraint gone bad happened in building six. The story reported to this writer goes like this. A supervisor walked into building six and was told by an incarcerated youth "do not come near me." This same youth had previously been restrained by the supervisor and claimed excessive force was used. After telling the supervisor not to come near him, something occurred that is raising eyebrows among Youth Service Officers at CJTS. For reasons yet unexplained the supervisor grabbed the youth by his neck, picked him of the ground, then held him against the wall. Sources report all this WWE Smack Down type action by the supervisor is recorded on camera by management. However it is not known whether any discipline was meted out to the supervisor for improper use of this throat hold technique. Now the supervisor is sitting in the operations office and given more responsibility than running a Unit in building # 6.

Let us return to a scenario from years ago. YSOs Kevin Strachen and Scott Beck were involved in restraints of residents and supposedly used improper techniques. It is alleged the resident in question years ago was choked by Strachen. Well, management in their wisdom gave Strachen 30 days off without pay. Now years later we have something caught on camera by someone in a position of authority but nothing -up to this point- has been done in terms of discipline toward the supervisor. Is it possible that management has one standard for supervisors and another for YSOs? This writer might also add that the supervisor accused of implementing the throat hold has been in dire circumstances at CJTS before and given another chance to redeem himself. However YSOs Strachen and Beck were hounded and vilified by management about their restraint.

Ping Pong Paddle Attack.
Sources report that on Unit 5C an attack by a resident on YSOs took place. Such incidents happen frequently on the CJTS Plantation and are part of the culture. In this case though sources inside CJTS say perhaps the assaults could have been prevented if management did not act like Key Stone Cops with different orders shouted in all directions. It is reported that the resident on Unit 5C did not comply with staff directives, words were exchanged and the resident went into his room with ping pong paddles. One management person ordered staff to go into the resident's room with a mattress in front in order to prevent injury to them. Another management said no use impact cushions instead of mattress. When YSOs used the impact cushions the resident injured them with ping pong paddles, now YSOs are out on Workers Compensation because of injury. "Now you have the rest of the story."

LETTER ASKING FOR FACILITY NOT TO CLOSE BUT NO LETTER ABOUT INJUSTICES

There are people working at Connecticut Juvenile Training School and in the community wondering about sudden concern about that facility possibly closing. Harsh criticism by lawmakers and Child Advocates Office in 2015 made CJTS  look bad. The letter written and printed by the Hartford Courant newspaper detailed how CJTS school system is making a difference in the lives of incarcerated residents. However there are several things that need to be pointed out from this writer's perspective. First, reliable sources report how many of the students in CJTS's school system make little progress and "Johnny still can't read" once they depart that facility. Indeed -according to sources- many of the residents in school enter unable to read or write, then leave the same way. Second, now it seems the teachers at this school are speaking out about not closing the facility and for other than  noble reasons, they do not want to lose their jobs. People might reply this is harsh criticism of employees writing in support of CJTS remaining open. Yes it is harsh because there were other times at CJTS when white management treated employees of color in horrible fashion- disproportionate disciplines and terminations, allowing right wing workers to single out blacks for ill treatment, white female Youth Service Officers calling residents of color "porch monkeys", not to mention management placing higher scrutiny on black workers. Where were the letters to advocate on behalf of injustice run amok at the CJTS Plantation ?

How can you write eloquently about keeping open CJTS for " those unfortunate residents" in order to educate them, when statistics point out [ sources say ] those same residents ( mostly of color ) do not perform any better in reading or writing? Again it must be highlighted how when  employees tried to enlist the aid of these teachers in fighting racism against black Youth Service Officers no such letters were forthcoming !! On the contrary teachers retreated into their shell and remained silent. When the DCF Plantation 5 launched their lawsuit against CJTS those teachers kept their heads in the sand, doing a good ostrich imitation. When petitions were passed around by CJTS members of the DCF Plantation 5 to point out racism, some employees signed this petition but the teachers ignored it. Let me be clear. It is often ignored but must be stated that in most cases when people of color fight for freedom, whites stand on the sidelines and look. What the hell, it is not white life being marginalized or objectified, so why should whites care ! Historically whites care about injustices toward blacks in America when somehow the racism MIGHT touch the white body politic.

At CJTS for years white teachers at school looked the other way as adult co-workers withered under the white hot glare of that racist spotlight from management. Now these teachers are all distraught over keeping residents in school and the facility open. Give me a damn break.

A letter was published asking for CJTS not to close but no letter about mistreatment or injustices against blacks, with friends like this who needs enemies.

EMPLOYEE DUPREE IS BEGINNING TO BE FREE

The Connecticut Juvenile Training School ran into significant trouble in 2015 because of reports by the Child's Advocate of Youth Service Officers using harsh restraint techniques on residents. In addition the Child's Advocate Office also released a scathing report about CJTS management that were not running the facility well. Then CT lawmakers jumped on the bandwagon with investigations and public hearings about CJTS, plus many legislators actually toured the facility. During all of this turmoil the white management et al. picked YSO Dupree to portray as the face of harsh restraints of residents. Let me add Dupree is young, black, muscular and chosen as villain by media and others in order to escape the universal condemnation that rained down on the heads of white management about things gone wrong at the CJTS Plantation. Media coverage about Dupree was relentless and unforgiving ; white management took cover behind the muscular back of Dupree and in the time honored American tradition echoed those words "blame it on the black man." Dupree was placed on the Department of Children and Families Central Registry which basically claims anyone on that list is a danger to work with youth. However now after an investigation it appears as if Dupree was taken off the Central registry, but his fight for justice continues.

Now Dupree is in hearings before Office of Labor Relations to ascertain whether any punishment is necessary for his alleged harsh resident restraint of a resident. It is safe to surmise Dupree has already suffered untold agonies from (1.) losing his job, (2.) standing before the glaring media spotlight, (3.) being used by white management to cover up their own incompetence about running CJTS and Pubelo Girls Unit.

In the Arc of the Moral Universe it is possible Dupree is beginning to be free, but that freedom comes at a high price.  Let me also remind readers that what is happening to Dupree is just the latest saga in America of ill treatment of black males in all spheres of life.

SUPERVISORS ON PLANTATION PAID LARGE SALARIES BUT NEGLECT DUTIES

The year 2016 should be time for fresh starts in the lives of people, new diets, self awareness, striving to become better people. You would think that after Connecticut Juvenile Training School was pilloried by the Child Advocate in 2015 for dysfunctional management, and legislative hearings about closing the facility down, maybe things might change on the plantation. However in 2016 there are reports of how CJTS supervisors are making in excess of $80,000- $100,000 dollars while neglecting duties related to male incarcerated residents. Let me be clear. it has been reported by reliable sources how resident's safety is being overlooked. When residents act out behaviorally and are not compliant with Youth Service officers directives, hands on restraints generally occur. Then it at some point decided to have the non- compliant resident isolated in his room or the padded cell. If this does happen, then periodic checks on that secluded resident should take place at regular intervals-but sources report it does not. Supervisors on the CJTS plantation are paid large salaries but neglect their duties.

Sources report how these well paid supervisors work hard to get overtime pay but are not checking on secluded residents. Instead many of these supervisors are busy walking around the facility or getting ready to visit bars on the weekend. Then these same supervisors pass on paper work to other management types to sign as having verified the resident is okay. Say What !! Yes you read it here first, top supervisors will ask other management types to sign papers that residents are cognitively and physically fine, even though these other supervisors might have been off work during the incident. How on God's green earth can top management officials fix their mouths to ask someone else to (1) falsify signing a document ,  and (2) not check on the mental or physical state of residents involved in traumatic restraint events ? The CJTS and Department of Children and Families hierarchy just don't seem to get it. There are several sets of eyes watching the CJTS / DCF monolith, waiting for the slightest infraction to occur. Now there are rumors about more tom-foolery from dysfunctional Key Stone Cops management.

And we thought the year 2016 would be about change on the plantation.

BLACK FREEDOM FIGHTERS AND THE UNEASY RELATIONSHIP WITH WHITE ACTIVISTS

This writer prepared to spend Sunday at home reading a book titled The Great Hunger Ireland 1845-1849 by Cecil Woodham-Smith. However freedom fighters involved in Moral Monday CT and #BlackLivesMatter invited me to attend a meeting with whites who wanted to learn about what the black struggle is all about. These white people recently went out and held up #BlackLivesMatter signs in their suburban bailiwick ad were surprised at the amount of negativity received from passing motorist. So we sat in the room and started to talk with whites and discovered something familiar in this conversation and past dialogue with white folk... "their existential angst."  Black people tried in this latest meeting to 'school' white folk that some of what they voiced as opinion and conversation was offensive in the context of this black struggle. A few whites became highly agitated and said so, some threatened to leave the meeting, voices were raised. And therein -at least for me et al.- lies the problem. For some reason whites continue to talk about wanting to be informed, work as allies, but these same whites come with mental baggage or notions of other worldviews [ All Lives Matter, Police Lives Matter ] and then get pissed off when told "hey your worldviews and speech are barriers to black liberation." Is it time for black freedom fighters to end this relationship with whites?

In Saint Louis, Missouri one prominent religious voice in the struggle for black liberation said this " I am so damn tired of listening to white peoples feelings." In several conversations with whites over the past year since Moral Monday CT was started by Bishop John Selders and wife Pamela Selders, white existential angst has been put forth as if it were The Holy Grail. Whites have questioned MMCT strategies, tactics, and indirectly the black leadership of Bishop Selders and Pam. And as granddaddy would say "here we be, once mo' and again with dis foolishness" i.e. white feelings about black agendas. It takes time, energy,  the patience of Job and thick skin to listen to whites emotional catharsis about "their feelings" while trying to explain how blacks feel. The striking thing about all conversations with whites is how they keep trying to dilute the very essence of this freedom fighter struggle, by injecting in to the conversation ideations like All Lives Matter or Police Lives Matter.    Not one of the whites attending the meeting yesterday could give working definitions of racism or discuss the origins of Moral Monday  or #BlackLivesMatter. Yet whites tried to tell blacks in that room about feeling uncomfortable about some tactics of the movement ; hold on white folks, didn't you come to Bishop John Selders and Pamela asking to be guided from your own version of Plato's Myth of the Cave, where you were looking at forms and shadows that you perceived were real ? And on that journey out of the darkness of your mental cave toward the light... representing truth, did not many of the white folk hesitate ? In Plato's Myth of The Cave some people viewed the light and went back to the forms illuminated on the wall, that light was bright and revealing, it was more comfortable to embrace the lie [forms on the wall ].  It is apparent that after several years of talking with white folk about the freedom fighter movement black dialogue is not resonating inside of white consciousness.

At this juncture it is necessary to make hard decisions about working with white activists. We as black people are living in perilous times inside of America, police killings of blacks, and all the social barriers erected to hinder blacks make our existence a living nightmare. There is no time to indulge whites in banter about "their feelings" when the very existence of blacks is at stake. Hovering over the heads of black people like "The Sword of Damocles" is endemic American racism which manifest itself in forms more hideous than the face of the Gorgon Medusa. And while we as black people struggle with the horror of this hideousness of racism white people come to us and want to spew forth "their uncomfortableness or feelings" about black organizations.

The meeting Sunday finally ended with whites feeling threatened and blacks unable to move a white one dimensional worldview into a better understanding of what it means to live black.

It is time for black leadership to make that hard decision and publicly break from white folk as it relates to being involved in this movement. White people have given us no choice and no room to maneuver regarding this subject. To be sure there will be wailing  and gnashing of teeth when we sever the relationship with white activists. They will claim to have been cast out into the Stygian Darkness. However whites will have to endure the pain.

 Memo to white people: blacks folks have endured pain for 400 plus years in America.

SECRET MEETING WITH PLANTATION WORKERS ABOUT INJUSTICE

The employees of Connecticut Juvenile Training School and Department of Children and Families Hamilton Street office contacted DCF Plantation staff writers. The goal of these employees was and is to discuss the racial injustice, bias, and white supremacy that exists within both organizations. Such a meeting as this is historic in many respects, for years certain members of DCF Plantation hierarchy tried to keep employees from talking about racial bias or injustice. Those in charge of the DCF white supremacy leadership used unsavory tactics to silence any possible opposition to their rule, even going so far as to fire former CJTS employee Cornell Lewis [ also founder of this blog ] on trumped up charges. However an arbitrator found Lewis had been fired for no justifiable reason and ordered DCF to rehire him. All of these shenanigans surrounding Lewis came about because he organized workers to file a class action lawsuit concerning racial discrimination. During the seven years Lewis et al. were fighting for justice other plantation workers would not help, shying away from people filing the lawsuit.

Now however it seems like there is some sort of consciousness raising among those oppressed and embattled workers from both facilities. Over the past few months lawmakers have held hearings about CJTS use of restraints on residents, the Child Advocate Office released a scathing report about CJTS and DCF. Youth Service Officer Dupree has been made the poster child of harmful restraints at CJTS, might I might add Dupree is this muscular black man-and of course white management put the blame of incompetent leadership on Dupree.. as reasons why that facility is in disarray.

Employees from both facilities sat down at a local eatery in Hartford to discuss issues they felt are representative of their particular institutions. According to Hamilton Street workers " we are pushed to perform at levels that cause stress for us. White management is using children of color to enhance the power of DCF and frustration grows at Hamilton Street office. Just because Commissioner Joette Katz promoted a black man to be second in command at DCF has no bearing on the fact discrimination is still rampant at Hamilton Street facility. Hell, the black man who is second in charge has no real power within a facility rampant with white supremacy." When it came to CJTS employees this was said " There is no doubt racism exists at our facility, we see it in how overtime is doled out to those people [ usually white ] management looks upon with favor. We [ YSOs ] are made out to be scapegoats for this dysfunctional facility and hoe management has run it into the ground. When we try organizing white leadership goes after all employees they consider threats. We realize now that when Cornell Lewis was an employee those things he said about CJTS were and are still true. Superintendent Rosenbeck never comes out of his office to manage this facility, when we bring him empirical data concerning injustice or racial bias his reply is  'I did not know', then things never get better." The meeting concluded with vows for future actions at both facilities by employees to highlight injustice which occur.

alea iacta est [ the die is cast ].

REAL EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT OF CORNELL LEWIS ARREST

Local media did not seem to understand that the roots of the December 14, 2015 shutdown of the YardGoats stadium construction site was initiated by the Minority Contractors Council based on their experience of being shut out of the serious dollars. They sought support for organizing a protest from Moral Monday CT (MMCT), and some media reports have focused on concerns that the Moral Monday "bunch" might again snarl traffic (interesting what causes the most fear these days). There are various ways to look at the stats, but the bottom line is that stadium jobs going to minority residents of Hartford are token and lower-rung. In other words, it's business as usual for so-called "development" projects. Money will be made, but largely by outsider investors.

 

While it was indeed wonderful to have ONE courageous member of City Council put his body on the shut-down line, in fact the first arrest was the most telling about Hartford City Police tactics. As seen (but not narrated) in the WFSB news clip, Cornell Lewis was the first person arrested - taken by surprise even as he was conveying the warning the cops had asked him to that the protestors were to move or risk arrest. NOTE THAT CORNELL HIMSELF had moved from the gate area and was NOT trespassing nor planning to subject himself to arrest. In fact, he was preparing to leave the site in the hands of the other organizers to attend to another commitment. I know, because I was going to drive him back to his car in a few minutes. 

 

However, rather than carry out their stated plan to arrest those who did not move from the gate area, Hartford cops were heard to say, "Arrest Cornell first" - and they did so. Four officers marched toward him from behind, gave no warning to him, and instructed him to drop his bag (and the bullhorn they hate) and put his arms behind his back. Not one of the protesters still trespassing had yet been arrested (that would start some 10 or 15 minutes later). He asked why and they gave him no answer. He was cuffed and taken to a patrol car. Other cops on the scene could give no reason for his arrest - and Cornell himself was not told the charges until they got him to the station (essentially
creating a disturbance and excessive noise). 

 

Thus was Cornell clearly targeted and arrested while peacefully exercising his first amendment rights, complying with police directives and keeping the crowd informed of those directives AS REQUESTED BY ONE OF THE RESPONDING OFFICERS - and then kept in jail from 10 am to 8 pm. He is scheduled to appear at Community Court tomorrow (Wednesday December 16) at 9 am, and is vowing to fight this violation of his civil rights.

 

Kudos to city council member Dr. Larry Deutsch, lone among the city leaders willing to stand up against broken promises to, and missed opportunities for, the workers and residents of Hartford. But I can't help but note that WFSB clearly shows him being escorted to a patrol car upon his arrest for refusing to move from the construction site gate WITHOUT HANDCUFFS! I point this out not to take away anything from his courage to stand up (noting that he is one of few white city leaders but still to be counted on when there is a fight) but to point out the obvious discrepancy in the cops' treatment of Cornell Lewis, also one who does not shy away from standing up against injustice.

Nancy Bowden

REACTION TO THE TARGETING OF A BLACK ACTIVIST

December 14, 2015 activist Cornell Lewis was arrested by police at a rally. The words below are Debra Cohen's point of view as fellow Freedom Fighter. The protest was in front of a stadium under construction in downtown Hartford.


Two important points about this event NOT captured by WFSB: (1) the protest was initiated by the Minority Contractors Council for having received NO "piece of the pie" from a major HARTFORD "development" project, but supported by MMCT and (2) while it was indeed wonderful to have ONE courageous member of City Council put his body on the shut-down line, in fact the first arrest was the most telling about Hartford City Police tactics. Even as seen (but not narrated) in the WFSB clip below, Cornell Lewis was the first person arrested - taken by surprise even as he was conveying the warning the cops had asked him to that the protestors were to move or risk arrest. NOTE THAT CORNELL HIMSELF had moved from the gate area and was NOT trespassing nor planning to subject himself to arrest. Rather than carry out their plan to arrest those who did not move from the gate area, Hartford cops were heard to say, "Arrest Cornell first" - and they did so. Not one of the protesters still trespassing had yet been arrested. Thus was Cornell clearly targetted and arrested while peacefully exercising his first amendment rights, complying with police directives and keeping the crowd informed - and then kept in jail from 10 am to 8 pm.


posted also on Facebook.

THE FUTURE CLOSING OF THIS FACILITY IS DUE TO DYSFUNCTIONAL MANAGEMENT

In the December 8, 2015 edition of the Associated Press were words to this effect " the Connecticut lawmakers are currently adjusting the budget and this includes the future closing of Connecticut Juvenile Training School......" There is also a sentence about the closing of another training facility elsewhere in CT included in the adjusting of the future budget.

The point to be made here is that dysfunctional management by Key Stone Cops administrators at CJTS caused this future closing to finally become reality. For years under the reign of present leadership at CJTS there has been unfair distribution of overtime, rampant racism at the facility by right wing Youth Service Officers masquerading as whistleblowers, white female YSOs calling residents of color "porch monkeys", and attempts of silencing any voices of color who raise the issue of racism. All attempts to correct the dysfunctional nature of CJTS by employees was met with management using policy and procedure in attempts of harassment of so called troubled makers. It must also be noted how Freedom of Information Act documents from the Department of Children and Family describe how 66% of all terminations or disciplinary actions are directed toward males of color. This data is alarming when considered how people of color only comprise 45% of employment on the DCF Plantation. Yes CJTS is a facility run amok.. with injustice and favoritism.

There seems to be some justice in the universe after all , CJTS is going to be closed down in the future. Those management types at CJTS who fought so hard to maintain their hegemony and white privilege will final get the old boot in the arse.

MORAL MONDAY CT HELD A DEMONSTRATION BUT SOME WHITE ALLIES DID NOT APPROVE

The people that manage the Bushnell Theatre decided to host this forum on race December 3, 2015 with four nationally known panelists. While well meaning people [ mostly white ] put together an agenda they forgot one critical element, to include local activists on stage who are fighting for racial justice in Greater Connecticut. Bishop John Selders and wife Pamela Selders started Moral Monday CT over one year ago to address issues of racial injustice locally and nationally- Bushnell forum planners forgot (?) to include both Selders on the panel. In the last year MMCT held die-ins at Hartford City Hall, blockaded streets and highways to send a message, went to Ferguson, Missouri for Michael Brown's one year anniversary shooting death by police. In addition the Selders et al., received national media coverage while in Ferguson. However, none of this mattered because white managers of Bushnell Theatre did not consider the Selders or #blacklivesmatter activists in Springfield, Massachusetts to be part of the racism panel. With this thought in mind, MMCT went to the forum and held a light weight protest, stating the same facts in the previous lines above.

We entered the Bushnell armed with protest plan and megaphone. There were white allies in the vestibule and in the theatre seating; it was assumed when the "#blacklivesmatter" chanting started these white allies would at least lend their voices to the protest. In the back of the Bushnell people on an arranged signal hollered #blacklivesmatter ,while other activists went to the front and read their statement. In amazement MMCT people noticed white allies frowning with arms folded plus scowling faces while the chanting took place. After the protest ended the reason for white allies silence became crystal clear- they stated "to them the protest did not make sense." Say what ? Yeah you are reading correctly, white people that pledged allegiance to working with MMCT black leadership flaked out, because "in their esteemed opinion the Bushnell was talking about race, ergo, why disrupt the event." Let me be clear. Just because white people decide to host some sort of sanitized meeting does not mean that it is something black people must endorse. Maybe those so called white allies do not understand that it is for black people-engaged in resisting state sanctioned police terror against blacks- to determine what is proper content for such forums to take place. Those so called white allies saw nothing wrong, then or now, with the absence of local activists on that Bushnell panel. I would argue that the criticism, before and after the forum, from whites revolves around their inability to comprehend why black leadership did not approve of yet another talkathon about race. We understand that many white allies have blind spots about race due to their worldview on process and procedure in addressing America's unsolved social problem. In all honesty white privilege affords so called white allies the luxury of not having to endure the indignities of living black in America. White allies do not have to think about being hunted and shot by police, nor do white allies face humiliating racial slights daily like black people. Yet there they were after the Bushnell forum offering a damn critique that MMCT activists did not ask for.

The best part of this is how what white allies did is not unexpected; historically the narrative with white allies goes like this- they are with us until ideological or theoretical concerns from blacks do not juxtapose with white worldviews, then they become critics. When the Selders first started MMCT white liberals pledged support and allegiance to black leadership. Now it is apparent that the historical narrative of white worldviews clashing with black thought is happening again. Martin Luther King, Stokley Carmichael, Black Nationalists and Freedom Riders went through the same criticism from white allies of certain black tactics. In Connecticut white allies are showing their true colors by not chanting during the Bushnell Theatre MMCT protest ; there are deep underlying currents of paternalistic bias from so called white allies. These whites believe they know what to do in terms of strategy better than the Selders and other people associated with MMCT. Now these whites will not publicly say they have problems with the Selders black leadership but in subtle ways act these feelings out- like at the Bushnell by not chanting.. then offering some bullshit critique of MMCT.  It is time to do what is necessary and call out white liberals who are obstructionists to the black liberation movement. James Baldwin might be correct in writing " a liberal is someone who thinks they know more about your condition than you do." Well. It is now out in the open for all to see. Yes Lawd, white allies opposed to black leadership in MMCT. It is time to get rid of all flotsam that hinders MMCT and #blacklivesmatter, this includes white allies who secretly are diametrically opposed to working with black leadership. Man this road toward black liberation is hard enough without those secret haters lurking in the background. Whites believe they are doing MMCT a favor by tagging along or pledging solidarity, hey white folks read Sophocles who wrote "enemies gifts are no gifts and do no good." Are these white liberals who pledge solidarity really enemies ? Well all you have to do in order to answer that question is wonder about why they did not chant with us, "#blacklivesmatter", at the Bushnell Theatre during our protest to answer that question.

In closing many of those so called white allies are religious and attend churches. After what they did to members of MMCT at the Bushnell Theatre, it is appropriate to quote this scripture from the book of Zechariah chapter 13:6 "I was wounded in the house of my friends."

AT WHAT POINT DO BLACK PEOPLE STAND- UP AND REALLY FIGHT ?

The jazz singer Nnenna Freelon sang a song called Change.. "I am changed in my passage I am changed. There's a Sun in the water I am changed. There's a Moon high above me and it lights my discovery that in my passage in the darkness I am changed. I am changed I can feel it I am changed, my soul is a mirror. I can feel it I am changed, coming through going over my heart stands like a soldier, in the passage in the darkness I am changed.... I am changed forever... I am changed...."

The recent video of police shooting a black youth down like a dog sixteen times in the streets of an urban city shocked many people. We also received descriptions of white supremacists shooting at least 5 people in Minneapolis during peaceful demonstrations over yet another black youth being shot by police. What really struck me as both curious and sad is how black people are responding to the latest episode of state sanctioned police violence. There were the usual invocations to look upon the shootings as a higher purpose to endure from God. Then in Chicago where one horrific shooting took place the Mayor of that city actually called black leaders to help keep calm in wake of the release of a video.. boy shot 16 times, and smoke rising from his body, as more bullets were pumped into this youth. To their credit some preachers and leaders said to the Mayor in Chicago "you call us now one year later on the eve of releasing this video, you did not call us before."

At what point do black people stand- up and really fight? It appears that for some reason black folk believe that these acts of violence will stop if people just keep marching or praying to some deity. At this juncture have these tactics mentioned caused any shift in the persecution or ill treatment of blacks over 400 years of living -first as slaves- in America? What then is your answer black people to my question ? If truly nothing has changed in how the oppressor interacts with black people, perhaps some change in tactics are necessary. At what point do black people stand-up and fight ? Whether blacks want to acknowledge the truth or not... it is there staring us in the face, hideous like the Gorgon Medusa. America refuses to treat her once actually enslaved people [ who are now supposedly free ] with respect. In every sphere of society there are structures and barriers in place to reinforce what the master once did openly- which is have actual dominion over black people. Now there are housing, educational, legal, political and financial barriers that keep blacks enclosed in cages like laboratory rats. Richard Lovelace poem hits the nail squarely on the head " Stone walls do not a prison make, nor iron bars a cage." Black people are in prisons called structural racism that are enforced by state sanctioned police violence. The people in Ferguson, Missouri and St. Louis understand what they are facing, and have been fighting for over one year after the police shooting of Michael Brown.

It is time to ask the question at what point do black people stand-up and really fight ?

In the history of black struggle in America all methods for liberation were implemented for survival. Now we only seek to march, pray and hope that our oppressors will change. If you think the mind set of oppression is changing just look at that black boy's body in the street being shot over and over again.

At what point do black people stand-up and fight?

At what point do black people stand-up and die for what they believe?
Until some of us are ready to enter "Beulah Land or walk in Jerusalem just like John" things will never change.

SUPERINTENDENT SUPPOSEDLY IS INVOLVED IN RESTRAINT - STAGED FOR MEDIA?

The rumors are flowing that Connecticut Juvenile Training School Superintendent [Wild Bill ] William Rosenbeck finally came out of his office recently to mingle with staff and residents. Then it is reported that while the Hartford Courant and other media were present.. William [Wild Bill ] Rosenbeck supposedly was involved with the restraint of a resident. Say what !! First of all, Rosenbeck reportedly has not had Safe Crisis Management training that teaches restraint techniques. Second of all, it seems fishy how when the media is present the CJTS Superintendent descends god like from the clouds [ his office ] and saves the day, with some sort of restraint, and by doing this shows he is in control. Well. Let me be clear. For several years CJTS has been dysfunctional due to lack of competent management ; this carried over into revelations about how one supervisor was stopped by police in May 2015 and found DUI, with no valid license or insurance. Now we hear Rosenbeck might have been in some sort of restraint.... hmmmm !

I wonder if this was staged for media purposes ?

TOP CJTS OFFICIAL ARRESTED AND STILL GIVEN AUTHORITY OVER RESIDENTS

The documents below are from a public newspaper and judicial website. It has been publicly revealed that the Connecticut Juvenile Training School official was detained for DUI in May 2015. Yet in spite of the arrest which includes other things, as far as I know there has been no move by CJTS Superintendent William [I did not know] Rosenbeck to discipline her for these these infractions. If this were Youth Service Officers involved in such foolishness then it certainly would bring a swift discipline of some sort from management. Well, since most of disciplinary actions at the CJTS Plantation are against employees of color, it is understandable Ramsey -as a white female- would escape any discipline.

"Kristy Ramsey, 35, of 17 Kensington Lane, Rocky Hill, was charged May 5 with driving with a suspended license, driving under the influence, failure to drive reasonable distance apart and failure to have insurance" Newington Town Crier CLICK HERE TO KEEP READING.

 

http://www.jud2.ct.gov/crdockets/parm1.aspx

 

STAY TUNED FOR PICTURES AND COURT DOCUMENT ABOUT DUI SUPERVISOR

The DCF  Plantation Blog will attempt to post items this week regarding the Connecticut Juvenile Training School Supervisor seeking Adult Probation for May 2015 DUI with Suspended License. It is necessary for this blog to show the behaviors of people trusted with modeling for incarcerated CJTS residents and how white management refuses to address this issue about one of their own. The picture will show how this Supervisor might have compromised on interacting behaviors due to certain actions in the picture. Also the court document will reveal the name of this Supervisor and charges involved.


At the time these documents are posted [ hopefully this week ] we will ask the following question- how can management punish YSOs for EVERY infraction but let a SUPERVISOR and Assistant Superintendent of troubled youth / girls get away with these infractions... not be disciplined?

THE POLICE ARE FOLLOWING ME AND IT HAS TO DO WITH ADVOCATING FOR BLACK LIBERATION

The action is visible and palpable all over America... activists are saying #BlackLivesMatter. Activists are demonstrating in various ways and this has the people in positions of power nervous. The police are following me and it has to do with advocating for black liberation. In Greater Hartford, CT black SUVs with white males [ usually ] in tweed jackets and dark glasses follow me at a distance and sometimes close behind. What crime did I as a black male commit for police forces in America to monitor my movements for the last few months ? First of all, my involvement with an organization called Moral Monday CT might be the logical place to start in figuring this all out. In 2014 Bishop John Selders and wife Pamela Selders started MMCT with the idea of addressing inequality foisted on black people not only in CT but nationwide. I was at the initial meeting of that MMCT movement and pledged support to John and Pam in moving the agenda forward. We have held die-ins at Hartford City Hall, blocked major highways twice [ and been arrested ], protested inside and outside of the Hartford Police Department plus formed strategic alliances with white activists. MMCT has resisted efforts by white power brokers to engage in dialogue with us. Also when white power brokers trotted out moderate Negro leaders as "true voices of reasonable folk" we resisted these attempts and pushed our agenda. At this juncture you might guess the police and white politicians were not and are not happy with MMCT. My years as an activist in Hartford made people aware of certain strategies used in social protest. White power brokers recognize that many of MMCT social protest actions have similarities to my philosophy which is "no give, no take, no compromise, no prisoners." Guerilla type forays into white enclaves lasting only three -four minutes shouting "#BlackLivesMatter" and reading  a manifesto statement before disappearing into waiting vans [ before police can arrive ] is not what HPD forces are use to. The police actually want MMCT to inform them of our future activities. Yeah right ! Since when do you give the opponent notice of your strategy? In addition MMCT leadership is black and that is the way it is going to stay. At this juncture whites sent by power brokers to report on what MMCT is planning have been confronted and purged from the organization. When one former ally sold out to HPD for a $15,000 grant to start something between youth and police we excluded her from the MMCT equation too. In addition, blacks that love old Massa more than freedom for black folk have also been effectively excluded from MMCT. All of this has left white folk scratching their heads as to what to do. So now I am being followed by police for at least two months as part of their new intimidation tactic. In the words of those old rappers NWA "fuck the police."

Second, we must realize MMCT has been making national and international connections around the issue of fighting black oppression in America. This summer MMCT  et al., traveled to eight cities in as many days toward Ferguson, Mo for the one year anniversary of Michael Brown's shooting death. We stopped at churches, informed people about the need to donate funds to the struggle of black liberation, then continued our journey. There were churches filled with over flow crowds eager to hear what the black struggle is all about. These mostly Christian people where we stopped pledged support for the black struggle. All of this nexus with ordinary and influential members of the clergy must be worrisome to local police forces. For two weeks MMCT was on the road and in Ferguson / St. Louis Mo. Then we arrived in the town Michael Brown was shot down like a dog in and the scrutiny by police really started.

Third, MMCT arrived in Ferguson and met with dynamic leaders of the movement in that geographical location. Reverend Osagyefo Uhuru Sekou is known internationally for his leadership during the year long Ferguson uprising. I travelled with  Rev. Sekou, Dr. Cornel West and Bree Newsome [ she took down the Confederate flag from a pole outside of the South Carolina statehouse ] for almost one week. During that time period the police shadowed us constantly. When we protested outside of the Department of Justice building I was standing next to Rev. Osagyefo Uhuru Sekou and Dr.West when they jumped the police barricade and got arrested. In addition while in Ferguson / St. Louis meetings with Palestinians from overseas and having them participate in protest concerning Michael Brown probably caught the attention of police. My picture appeared on MSNBC with Bree Newsome while she spoke before one thousand people during the anniversary of Michael Brown's death. I was in the front row with Bishop Selders and Bree marching to the DOJ protest. Then after arriving back in Hartford, CT we planned and implemented social protest against black oppression.

Yes the police are following me and it has to do with advocating for black liberation. In this fight we are waged in with white power brokers, racists, state sanctioned police terror against people of color, and sold out moderate Negro leaders- there is a lot at stake. However, I am not afraid of the police and will pay whatever price necessary to achieve liberation for my people. And to be honest that is what worries the police about me.

THE POLICE ARE FOLLOWING ME AND IT HAS TO DO WITH ADVOCATING FOR BLACK LIBERATION.
  

SUPERVISOR AT CJTS IN COURT FOR DRINKING AND DRIVING, BUT STILL AN EMPLOYEE ON THE PLANTATION

There are documents that surfaced describing several incidents with this particular Connecticut Juvenile Training School Supervisor. In previous stories on this blog it has been described how a certain Supervisor / management person goes out after work hours with staff.. imbibing.. playing grab ass.. then coming to work the next day trying to instruct staff. We feel these actions are certainly crossing certain boundaries as it relates to the workplace. Now it has been revealed that this same CJTS Supervisor might have done other things such as on "May 5th 2015 driving with suspended license and no insurance. Also a second offense of driving under the influence [ DUI ], failure to drive reasonable distance." These things are matters of public record and therefore subject to scrutiny. In the past few months lawmakers and CJTS management have focused on the Youth Services Officers as villains for supposedly improper restraint of residents. When right under the noses of all of these Sherlock Holmes type investigators, there is this CJTS Supervisor driving without proper license, drinking then coming to work for what purpose ? How can this Supervisor instruct residents on life skills when after work these things are happening ? The question that must be asked is this... how is this Supervisor getting to and from work? It seems as if the Supervisor does not have proper driving credentials. While investigations go on about YSOs, management at CJTS looks the other way when this Supervisor is taken into custody for numerous safety violations... while under the influence of alcohol. These documents seen by this blog writer also reveal the Supervisor is awaiting disposition in Adult Probation Court 6/30/16.

So does this mean that the CJTS Supervisor will continue to be ignored by white management for breaking the law? Is there no just discipline for someone who drinks, drives with suspended license, then is seen in pictures at events possibly intoxicated and bent over like the Leaning Tower of Pisa. There has to be some justice in the universe, will this offense go unpunished and the Supervisor continue to drive around while singing the song "one Bourbon, one Scotch, one beer."


When will CJTS Superintendent  William Rosenbeck come out of his somnolent state and recognize what is going on with this particular management person ? We see Rosenbeck finally came out of his head in the ground approach when it was time to throw the YSOs under the bus, during legislative hearings into possible mistreatment of residents. We know Rosenbeck et al., were up in arms [ like villagers in old Frankenstein movies storming the mad professor's castle...] when it was time to sacrifice the black male YSO Dupree for some incident with residents. Yet when it comes to dealing with another management person for DUI and driving without a legal license, then Rosenbeck suddenly loses his voice. Such is life on the DCF Plantation.

ADMINISTRATOR AND DRINKING ON THE PLANTATION / WHO WILL POST THOSE PICTURES? / TALKING BUT NO ACTION

The Connecticut Juvenile Training School often has trainings at a facility in Manchester for staff and management. The facility that CJTS members go to has video games plus bar combined. This writer has email sources that report more than just trainings occur at this facility. The agenda reads these trainings at  are over at 4:00pm,  but by 3:00pm CJTS management is at the bar drinking liquor or alcoholic beverages. Say What? This is interesting in light of the fact documents read how one CJTS Supervisor / manager is currently seeking probation for driving under the influence of alcohol [ DUI ]. A recent document surfaced describing how this CJTS manager is seeking accelerated probation for the drinking charge in court; sure sets a bad example for residents at that facility. Now to make matters even worse, Supervisors go out after work hours to party, while pictures show people in positions of influence at CJTS Plantation with glassy eyes, and hands placed on the buttocks of other management types. If residents and staff at CJTS are held to high standards how on earth can this Supervisor be charged with DUI and still keep a job?

There are pictures being circulated depicting CJTS managers and Supervisors drinking to excess and with their hands on the buttocks of other managers. This type of behavior only illustrates lack of boundaries and staff. How will managers be able to give directives to staff after drinking with them while playing grab ass ? Who has the courage to post those pictures?

The Youth Service Officers at CJTS are good at "talking loud but saying nothing." This phrase would explain how all over that campus talk about the manager charged with DUI is going subject of conversation. However the lack of courage stops YSOs from bringing such an issue to public forums with management. Now you know why YSOs are treated with disrespect by management, they [ YSOs ] have no heart.

'WE MUST KNOW WHERE GOD IS AND WHAT HE IS DOING IN THE REVOLUTION'

While a student at Lincoln Christian College in Lincoln, Illinois excellent Professors taught about many things i.e. philosophy, history, and of course the Bible and God. I listened intently as Professors Strauss, Clymer, Sackett, McNeely, Mrs Shaw, et al., taught that God was and is present in history. There are two types of revelation the teachers said (1) General Revelation in which the "heavens declare the glory of God ; the skies proclaim the work of his hands" and that includes what we see and experience, (2) Special Revelation ..."the dramatic news that God has acted in history.. through the incarnate person and work of Christ [ Hebrews 1:2 ] "in the past God spoke to us through the prophets...many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by his Son."  Ergo, in my mind the term revelation has to do with something being disclosed.. opened up, or rolled out. Now this brings me to the following dilemma ; what is going on with God as it relates to the current segment of the black struggle in America ?

For the last three plus years in America black people and their white allies have struggled against police sanctioned violence and terror. Several highly publicized incidents of black women and men being killed by white police officers caused street protests, movements such as #blacklivesmatter to form, resurgence of old forms of protest i.e. The New Black Panther Party etc. In all of the existential angst by black people against oppression in America : WE MUST KNOW WHERE GOD IS AND WHAT HE IS DOING IN THE REVOLUTION. At this juncture the police forces in this country are cracking down on movements by black people and their allies; proclamations of black lives matter are drowned out by white reactionaries hollering all lives matter. The people in Ferguson / St. Louis, Mo have waged battles with police for over one year... being tear gassed, shot at with rubber bullets, facing armored vehicles or tanks. In all of this fervor by the oppressed to gain egalitarian rights, black people have not seen or felt the manifestation of this God whom they have embraced fervently since arriving as slaves in America over 400 years ago. We go to houses of worship on Sunday, give a tenth of earnings to a deity the preachers shout about as "having risen from the dead after three days" and gives us rewards in the next life-when we are dead. Well, instead of getting some reward after death, can black folk get a little help down here on earth fighting the oppressor ?

If blacks continue to pledge allegiance to some deity called God, then it is only fitting to inquire about some assistance in our time of need in this revolutionary struggle, that in reality is a struggle to the death. After over 400 years of social control to subjugate black people the oppressor will not let us go. There are still barriers placed in front of and behind black folk that need dismantling. It is clear that in such a titanic battle for survival help is needed from every source possible, yes  including divine intervention. However, blacks have called out to this God they worship and still no answer : there is no pillar of cloud by day to lead us out of the hands of the oppressor, nor pillar of fire at night to guide besieged revolutionary forces to victory. There is only silence. In the vastness of this Cosmos- where is the divine revelation and help for black people? I journeyed to Ferguson, Mo for the one year anniversary of Michael Brown being shot and killed by police. The law enforcement officers treated all revolutionary forces black and white with the same disrespect. When once again people were being mistreated, when tear gas flowed, when truncheons were used to crack protestors over their heads : WE MUST KNOW WHERE GOD IS AND WHAT HE IS DOING IN THE REVOLUTION.

When Rome was a suckling, when Greece was young,
Then there were Gods fit to be sung,
Who paid the loyal devotee
For service rendered zealously,

In coin a man might feel and spend,
Not marked Deferred to Journey's End,
The servant then was worth his hire;
He went unscathed through flood and fire;
Gods were a thing then to admire.

"Bow down and worship us" they said.
You shall be clothed, be housed and fed,
While yet you live, not when you're dead.
---Countee Cullen
     The Black Christ

IF A PICTURE IS WORTH ONE THOUSAND WORDS, THEN WHAT DO THESE DEPICT ??

The photographs sent to DCF Plantation Blog are interesting to view. from an objective point, these seem like ordinary scenes of women having fun at some event. Sources report however that the pictures -at least to them- depict boundaries being crossed between Connecticut Juvenile training School staff and management. There is a female in the picture with blond hair and wearing a green (?) dress that sources report is part of CJTS plantation management partying with those employees she oversees each week. Now there is nothing wrong with hanging out after work but with rank and file staff ? Just imagine coming to work Monday and taking directives from your boss that got loose at the club with employees. In the picture we see this same alleged supervisor with her hand placed clearly on the buttocks of an employee ( in tight black clothing ) and looking at the buttocks as if for some kind of revelation.

Again what message does this activity send to rank and file staff ? if you remember, lawmakers and members of the Child Advocate Office have been claiming resident abuse at CJTS from the actions of Youth Service Officers -during restraints. Sources report that various Units at CJTS are not uniform when it comes to restraint policy : if supervisors party hardy with staff, squeezing buttocks in playful camera scenes, is it any wonder policy and procedure is not followed by rank and file employees ?   Oh well, maybe after the pictures are published somewhere people can judge for themselves ?

I wonder if anyone in those pictures did the shimmy at that event like Tina Turner when she sang rolling on the river ?

BUILDING # 5 RESIDENT ASSAULTS STAFF, SUPERVISORS PARTYING WITH STAFF MIGHT BE COUNTER PRODUCTIVE

The reports from Connecticut Juvenile Training School are focusing on a certain resident in building # 5 consistently assaulting staff. In the space of about two weeks the resident punched several staff and did not fear being restrained due to all the media attention given to the Whistle Blower's allegations [ Youth Service Officers are abusing residents ]. When this male attacks staff there are people standing nearby who will not seek to safeguard the health of another employee. Fear of losing their job due to micro- managing restraint procedures is one cause of not stopping these assaults.

This writer received numerous e-mail messages concerning a certain supervisor at CJTS who parties after work hours with employees that are directed by that particular administrator. Now there are policies prohibiting inappropriate relationships between supervisors and staff. There is nothing to stop employees from meeting in the community after work. However I am talking about a situation where a supervisor goes out to night clubs with employees and in photographed placing  a hand on the employee's arse [ Irish for butt ]. In these pictures something curious can be seen i.e. supervisor and employee boundaries being crossed. Now how can any supervisor go to work the day after such antics with other employees and then command respect ? It is possible to conclude that such club room antics could be one reason that each Unit follows different patterns of resident restraints. This writer has seen several pictures of this supervisor with employees and wonders about boundaries. Hmmmm !

THANKS FOR REMINDING ME OF WHO I AM IN AMERICA

“Hateful to me as the gates of Hades is that man who hides one thing in his heart and speaks another
   -- Homer

I want to thank the white activist for reminding me of who I am in America. Since my involvement with Moral Monday CT and #BlackLivesMatter movements there has been a lot of backlash from some whites. Most whites claim all lives matter or just offer arguments based on incomprehensible logic that numbs my brain. However most recently events in Hartford put me in contact with whites claiming solidarity with MMCT etc. I have been invited to activists homes, sat in on difficult discussions about race in churches, argued about use of tactics and the need to follow black leadership. During all of this dialogue and interaction some whites claimed solidarity in fighting 400 plus years of social construction aimed at keeping blacks in their place in America.

There are times that being in close contact to whites can lull black people into a Rip Van Winkle like slumber, where all is right in the universe and we walk in lockstep with white allies. Then we are awakened from that somnolent state by words or actions of whites. I was in dialogue with some one about the current state of the black struggle and noticed certain words said to me. At first those words were overlooked but then I just asked in casual conversation what was meant by certain phrases. The exact wording revolved around "putting up barriers" as it related to me. Then the word "fear of the unknown" was used to describe interactions with me. Now in all fairness the person did explain they did not know me and the choice of words were bad. But that explanation only came after I inquired about those specific words "fear of the unknown" as reasons for putting barriers up i.e. keeping me at arms length until they got to know me. Hmmmm !

What is interesting is that since coming to Hartford fresh from theological school in 1991 I have been front and center as an activist. My skirmishes with drug dealers, gang members, politicians, black leaders and state run agencies over racism is a matter of public record. My voice and face dominated Hartford media and newspapers for over one decade; yet this white activist said "fear of the unknown" in describing me. Let me be clear. This article is not to beat up on white folks. However it is worth looking at the mindset that uttered those words. "fear of the unknown" as it relates to black people is what caused certain law enforcement agencies to destroy the Black Panther Party. It was not the BPPs Survival Programs or Breakfast Programs that scared America. It was the fact that these black militants were different than Negroes seen on the American landscape; ergo, they were feared. My interaction with the white activist who  claimed  verbal solidarity caused a deeper reaction below the level of their consciousness. Somewhere this person did not feel comfortable with me around issues of so called solidarity, this became apparent when the words "fear of the unknown " were used in the context of putting up barriers to check me out... until it was safe. Hey let me ask the question of this white activist ..safe from what?  I have been accused of being impertinent with language regarding social issues. There are times I also implement a take no prisoners strategy when dealing with social issues. Is that reason for the white activist to fear me?

America reacts to certain people of color that advocate strongly for social justice etc, just like the white activist reacted to me. However those feelings of unease around certain blacks are so submerged that whites do not know they exist. Then when something bubbles to the surface that resembles "the portrait of Dorian Gray" in it's hideousness, then whites back track on the language. Milton was correct in writing "truth comes to us first in hideous mien." In this case the truth from that white activist is a microcosm of what many whites feel.

In conclusion, let me say to the white activist thanks for reminding me of who I am In America.


BEING A MAN IN AMERICA
Is it truly possible in this in this pseudo Christian land,
For a black male to stand up,
and act like a man ?

I don't want to be obsequious,
or act like some Uncle Tom,
in order to get along.

But when black males act like men,
Then whites say that's wrong.

It makes no difference to me
What you do or say,

I'm going to stand erect
and be a man anyway.

BLACK PANTHER DOCUMENTARY IN HARTFORD DRAWS WHITES SEEKING REVOLUTIONARY FERVOR THROUGH OSMOSIS

The Real Art Way Theatre in Hartford presented the new documentary of the Black Panther Party on October 9, 2015 5:30pm. Crowds of white people flowed into the theatre along with some blacks claiming to be Moors and other assorted folks. What is interesting is that for months members of Moral Monday CT have engaged whites in dialogue about being part of denouncing and ending oppression of blacks in America. Whites in response have questioned the ideological...theoretical concepts of the current black struggle plus used microscopes to examine our tactics. It took an act of Congress for some whites to finally relent enough to join MMCT street blockage of several major highways or die in at City Hall. So it is with amazement that I discovered so many white people stormed Real Art Ways Theatre to watch this BPP documentary. Oh the white folks were besides themselves being in a theatre with blacks and discussing revolution etc. However what intrigues me is when will whites actually become involved in some sort of revolutionary activity ?

It seems as if whites want to get revolutionary fervor through osmosis. Whites go to events discussing racism, they debate structural racism into the ground, but there is no solidarity with their so called black activists. Let me be clear. It is easy for whites to go see a damn documentary about how blacks sacrificed to gain freedom using BPP as a vehicle. Yet these same whites creep back to the safety of white privilege when asked to be down with the current revolution. These whites do not want to sacrifice or fight for black freedom; hell, they might become uncomfortable being real fighters for freedom. There are levels of sacrifice involved in being dedicated like members of the old BPP, at this juncture whites are not willing or able to make such a commitment.

At the end of the BPP documentary the eyes of white folk were ablaze with what they saw on the movie screen. Now the question must be asked are you down with the current revolution in America or just shucking and jiving?

All Power To The People !!

THE WHISTLE BLOWER PASSES NOTES, THE PANTY CAPER

PASSING NOTES

The rumors are flying around about how the Connecticut Juvenile Training School Whistle Blower has fallen from grace. It was only last week that the person who took hundreds of documents to the Child Advocate -and crying about resident abuse by employees- then caused investigations by media and lawmakers in Hartford. That same person was quoted in the media and walked around bragging "yeah I did it and so what." Now reports come to the DCF Plantation Blog about the Whistle Blower being out on administrative leave for passing a note from one resident with telephone number to another resident. What the heck did you say?  This writer wonders what will come of this latest episode [ one of many over the years ] in the life of the Whistle Blower.

PASSING  AROUND THAT PANTY

A relative of management is currently working at CJTS and made what some call "the boo boo." This CJTS employee placed a resident on the telephone in the  clinician's office and left that person unsupervised. In that office was the clinician's gym bag full of personal items. Residents rummaged through the bag and extracted one panty. At this juncture the residents passed that single panty around as some sort of trophy on exhibit. This writer can report that this violation of a clinician's personal clothing made residents happy. However what about the poor woman who found out about this panty caper. And what discipline will happen to the relative of that management person, who did not watch that resident while on the telephone?

In both of these cases cited above one can plainly understand why CJTS is dysfunctional. There are lapses in supervision by management and this causes chaos on the plantation.

YOUTH SERVICES OFFICERS AND OTHERS TELL THEIR STORY, BUT IS IT TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE?

The chaotic scene at Connecticut Juvenile Training School is like some sort of nightmare from the Twilight Zone. A disgruntled whistle blower at CJTS feed documents of alleged abuse to state officials. Then there is an investigation that leads to public hearings; a black man is denounced as culprit over his use of restraints of residents. There is media frenzy over the issue when CJTS videos of restraints are mysteriously leaked. In their infinite wisdom, CJTS management et al., blame YSOs for all the problems at that facility.

Then all of a sudden YSOs plus teachers ban together to address how management has unfairly placed blame for that dysfunctional facility on rank and file members. The local Union gathered employees at their headquarters recently for some sort of panel discussion to address management's attempt at distorting what is really going on at DCF Plantation. However in this writer's opinion, the coming together process is too little, too late. In 2010 workers were trying to elicit support from CJTS employees for a class action lawsuit against the Department of Children and Families / CJTS for racism, hostile work environment... Civil Rights violations. Workers on the DCF Plantation refused to be part of any legal action and distanced themselves from the DCF Plantation Five... originators of the lawsuit. All workers were concerned about at that time consisted of working overtime and going to happy hour to consume chicken wings.

Now there is fear among CJTS workers due to the public image that management crafted in portraying YSOs as lawless thugs harming children. Oh, by the way CJTS picked a black man named Dupree as scapegoat for unlawful restraints. Well. Seems as if chickens have come home to roost; workers refused to organize in the past when then employee Cornell Lewis spoke about challenging management. Now the handwriting is on the wall and management has thrown CJTS employees under the bus. Before the Union meeting YSOs were begging one of the DCF Plantation Five .. Linette Gaunichaux to attend the meeting. "We need your voice" YSOs and teachers proclaimed. You did not need Linette in the past, but now that management has vilified YSOs you want Linette as your champion.


Now workers are fighting back. I maintain it is too little, too late.

THE PUBLIC FACES OF PLANTATION TROUBLES ARE BLACK MEN

The management team of Connecticut Juvenile Training School / Department of Children and Families are under tremendous pressure from media and lawmakers concerning employee restraints at CJTS. Not only are lawmakers holding hearings and conducting property inspections at the facility, but looking for scapegoats too. In America whenever there are problems in society it is necessary -in the words of character Clay in Sons of Anarchy- " to blame it on the black man." In previous blog stories Youth Service Officer Dupree became the black man CJTS /DCF blamed for harmful restraint practices. Yeah man, Dupree's name and address were given to media; leaked videos showed this large black man restraining some resident at CJTS. However sources report the technique shown in that video is taught at Safe Crisis Management Trainings authorized by plantation hierarchy. Let me not digress from the point. Dupree is now the face of all that is supposedly wrong with client restraints. He is now terminated from a job with CJTS. This is not the only black man to be depicted as menacing and marauding through the DCF / CJTS countryside ...like Frankenstein.

Former employee [ retired ] YSO Cornell Lewis did not see an altercation between two residents while working at CJTS. Lewis and staff were looking at something on a computer during the fight  that lasted seconds. Lewis attempts at organizing employees to address favoritism, racial animus made management angry--- so they gas lighted him. Lewis got paced on administrative leave for being harmful to children at that facility.The arbitrator failed to see Lewis as any kind of threat and restored his employment with benefits and back pay. However for one year the scenario was the same as the one for Dupree; black man is dangerous. In Lewis case he fought back, he refused to be part of some jive narrative that assassinated his character ... put out by vengeful management. Now it is 3 years after Lewis arbitration vindication that brother Dupree is sacrificed as some black male Frankenstein, who ravages the CJTS countryside.

Hold on, in 2009 a white male YSO physically struck some resident and only received 10 days off. The white male YSO did not get terminated for hitting the resident in front of witnesses, nor was his address placed in newspapers. In Dupree's case mobile news trucks sat in front of his house after the story of him as dangerous black man surfaced.

THE PUBLIC FACES OF PLANTATION TROUBLES ARE BLACK MEN !!

DUPREE THROWN UNDER THE BUS , SUPERINTENDENT HAS DISINGENUOUS MEETING

The rulers at Department of Children and Families plus Connecticut Juvenile Training School are under siege by media... lawmakers. In order to get the focus off them DCF Plantations management did something despicable but not unexpected. A Youth Service Officer at CJTS named Dupree was publicly humiliated and fired. Dupree is now the black face of all the problems at CJTS. What makes this so reprehensible is tapes of Dupree restraining a resident were leaked to the media, then political posturing started. The head of DCF thundered proclamations from the mountain top about "cleaning up the facility and making sure residents are safe." Then the CJTS Superintendent held some jive meeting with YSOs to "assure them he is on their side."  Most YSOs contacted this blog and said they held their nose doing the CJTS meeting.
Let me be clear.

 All of this is going on because for years CJTS has been allowed to get out of control because management did not provide clear direction / purpose. Keystone Cops management allowed every Unit at CJTS to be run by petty warlord supervisors... according to different criteria. Now the Child Advocate -with help by the glorified CJTS whistle blower- released reports condemning YSO restraint techniques and everyone is trying to cover their backs. Hell, even the whistle blower is being quoted in the on line publication CT News Junkie. Oh by the way this whistle blower is trying to get transferred to 3rd shift because co-workers are not happy with all these false revelations... or the sacrifice of Dupree. Well if we read the history of America correctly, it is always better to place blame on the black man. And Dupree is a big.. strong... muscular black man. I wonder if the big black buck image played any part in throwing Dupree under the bus ? Hmmmmm !

PLANTATION HAS NO DIRECTION, TROUBLE ON UNIT 5D, RESIDENT SENT TO WRONG HOSPITAL

The Connecticut Juvenile Training School is spiraling out of control due to lack of leadership. Since the Child Advocate released her critical report about CJTS, management is running scared. Let me be clear. CJTS has always been dysfunctional and KeyStone Cops management operated that facility badly. However now directives are going out preventing Youth Service Officers from doing their jobs; residents are getting bold by saying " you [ YSOs ] cannot touch me so fuck going to bed at the designated time". To show you how out of control things are, consider an incident September 17, 2015 while CJTS residents were in school. Sources report that a resident decided not to stay in school... then ran outside onto the facility grounds. For almost 30 minutes the resident wandered the plantation facility while YSOs just stood and looked. KeyStone Cops management are reluctant to do anything that might cause more scrutiny from law makers or the Child Advocate Office. At this juncture lawmakers seem poised to try and close this dysfunctional facility that costs 30 million dollars to operate yearly. While Rome burns Nero fiddles. While CJTS spirals out of control management sits in their offices scared of shadows on the wall.

What is going on in Unit 5D with residents ? Sources report how this certain resident is spitting on and biting staff. Instead of trying to contain the problem, dysfunctional management refuses to address the biting or spitting. The resident in question is saying how no one can restrain him. He knows about publicity focused on CJTS, and this leads to acting out behaviors when management does not operate to restore rule of law. This attitude is shared by all residents at CJTS.

Finally to highlight the problems at CJTS let us look at the following incident. The resident is acting out behaviorally on his Unit. Someone decided to make the decision to send this resident to get help from hospital professionals. The original decision was to send the resident to Sol Norit South Hospital. However lack of communication between management / supervisors allowed the resident to be sent to Middlesex Hospital. Say what ??  This is the height of  incompetence, you send a person in need of help to the wrong location, due to poor communication from the Assistant Superintendent in charge of Pueblo Girls Unit. It is reported by YSOs that Assistant Superintendent Christy Ramsey's lack of communication skills might possibly be a factor in sending the resident to the wrong hospital. DCF Plantation blog cannot verify this with Ramsey due to the fact the blog's staff is considered persona non grata. CJTS staff has been told not to talk with blog staff writers.